How food-label savvy are you? Although food labels are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), cutting through the fat (ha!) to understand the fine print can be difficult for even the sharpest of grocery shoppers. Here are 10 sneaky ways food manufacturers cash in on your healthy intentions:
1. If the label says "100 percent natural" or "all natural..."
You may think buying an "all natural" chicken is better than buying its unlabeled counterpart, but the truth is that "natural" has no legal definition, meaning that companies can stick the phrase on anything they want.
Avoid it: Check the ingredients list and label for what you're most concerned about. "USDA-certified organic" means the food has met certain guidelines. You can also check for genetically modified ingredients (if it doesn't specifically say it's non-GMO and it's corn or soy, then it likely is), artificial colorings and flavors, or preservatives.
2. If the label says "reduced-fat" or "fat-free"...
While fats aren't the dietary demon they were made out to be in the past, many health-conscious consumers still seek out lower-fat or fat-free options. But since removing fat also removes flavor, many companies replace fat with sugar. This label is often used as a smoke screen to give an otherwise unhealthy food, like gummy bears, an aura of health. Of course gummy bears have never been made with fat; they're pure sugar.
Avoid it: Don't be afraid to eat healthy fats in your diet. Even some saturate fats like those found in coconut oil and grass-fed dairy have significant health benefits. Plus, fat is satiating so in the end, you'll eat less and enjoy it more.
3. If the label says "0 Grams of trans fat..."
A mad-scientist project gone wrong, trans fats are created in a lab by partially hydrogenating healthier oils. This process destroys the many good benefits of the original fats. What's worse, consuming trans fats ups your risk for heart disease and metabolic syndrome. Most nutritionists recommend avoiding them altogether, which doesn't sound so hard except current labeling guidelines allow manufacturers to round anything less than 0.5g/serving down to zero. Eat more than a few servings, and you've consumed a significant amount of the Frankenfood.
Avoid it: Anything that says "partially hydrogenated oil," "hydrogenated vegetable oil," or "shortening" on the ingredients list contains trans fats, no matter what the label says.
4. If the label says "made with real fruit..."
Everyone knows that fresh fruits and veggies are healthy. Sadly, manufacturers take advantage of that trust by slapping this label on anything with a fruit product in it. This may include fruit concentrates, which are essentially just sugar and things like beet juice for coloring. Many popular fruit roll ups are mostly high-fructose corn syrup and
food coloring. Sure, some "real" fruit might be in there, but it certainly doesn't have the benefits of an actual piece of fruit.
5. If the label says "packed with antioxidants..."
Antioxidants, the latest health wunderkind, are amazing little nutrients and enzymes that inhibit the potentially harmful (but inevitable) process of cellular oxidation. You don't have to understand all the science to know they're incredibly good for you, with everything from anti-cancer to anti-aging benefits. The problem is that this label does not have a formal definition. When you see "packed with antioxidants," it usually means that the food was either made with something that once had antioxidants in it-like fruit juice used for coloring cereal-or that the food was fortified with some vitamins. Unfortunately nutrients extracted from food don't have all the health benefits of nutrients eaten in their natural state.
